This invention relates to a fuel supplying system for a gas engine and more particularly to an improved gaseous fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine.
In one form of internal combustion engine, the engine is supplied with pressurized gaseous fuel supplied from a pressurized container. The fuel, commonly known as liquified petroleum gas (LPG) is in a liquid form in the container but becomes a gaseous fuel when discharged from the container and supplied to the engine. Even though the gas pressure is regulated by a regulating device, the evaporization of the fuel from the liquid to the gaseous form reduces its temperature and the reduced temperature of the fuel supplied to the engine produces certain difficulties. When the temperature of the fuel is reduced below a certain value, improper vaporization will result and engine running can become unsatisfactory. This reduction in fuel temperature can occur under situations where there is high fuel consumption due to high loads or under low ambient temperature conditions.
In order to obviate these problems, it has been proposed to heat the fuel in the container or, alternatively, to heat the pressure regulator. Although these solutions seem satisfactory at first, it has been found that they are not truly effective. The reason for this is that the amount of heat necessary to maintain the appropriate gas temperature varies and the ambient temperature conditions which surround the container have made it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain the proper degree of heating under all ambient conditions.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement for heating the fuel supplied to a gas burning internal combustion engine so as to maintain the appropriate fuel temperature under all conditions.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement for heating the gaseous fuel supplied to an internal combustion engine.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a gaseous fuel heating device that is substantially independent of ambient temperature and which will provide the appropriate degree of heat under all conditions.
In prior art systems employing pressure regulators, there is also a difficulty in cold starting. If the temperature of the fuel is too low, regulated fuel pressure may not be sufficient to provide adequate fuel for starting. It is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide an improved cold starting arrangement for a gaseous fuel engine.